The Merchants of Venice Part II
May 24th 2006 06:27
…and in many ways, it is. The gondola has evolved markedly since its inception in 1094. For instance, the first crafts had a ‘felze’ – a cabin built in the middle which served as both a sanctuary from bad weather and a hotbed of private consorts. As the main form of transport in the city, this is perhaps what nurtured the idea that Venice is the fountainhead of love and intimacy. Of course, nowadays, all the gondola are jet-powered hovercrafts with robots for rowers, but what’s a little spray in the face to a lover’s tryst?
One lasting feature of the gondola (I promise this is the last tidbit) is its unique asymmetrical shape: the left side is larger than the right by 24 cm. As a result, the gondola can only navigate right-hand turns. This explains why thousands of couples beach themselves in Australian waters every year. The good news is, they always end up in Melbourne.
To be fair, one cannot underestimate the influence of this craft on the commercial development of Venice. For as the craftsmen perfected the vessel, so Venice became a more accessible trading port. The ‘Art of the Squeraroli’ – those who worked in the Venetian shipyards – might seem like simple Stevedoring by modern standards; but they were largely responsible for nourishing the veins of this city. Without them, La Serenissima as it is sometimes called (the most serene), would be no more than a peat bog. And that wouldn’t be much fun for young lovers, now would it?
Some information on the gondola gathered from:
http://www.gondolavenezia.it/history.asp?Pag=25
One lasting feature of the gondola (I promise this is the last tidbit) is its unique asymmetrical shape: the left side is larger than the right by 24 cm. As a result, the gondola can only navigate right-hand turns. This explains why thousands of couples beach themselves in Australian waters every year. The good news is, they always end up in Melbourne.
To be fair, one cannot underestimate the influence of this craft on the commercial development of Venice. For as the craftsmen perfected the vessel, so Venice became a more accessible trading port. The ‘Art of the Squeraroli’ – those who worked in the Venetian shipyards – might seem like simple Stevedoring by modern standards; but they were largely responsible for nourishing the veins of this city. Without them, La Serenissima as it is sometimes called (the most serene), would be no more than a peat bog. And that wouldn’t be much fun for young lovers, now would it?
Some information on the gondola gathered from:
http://www.gondolavenezia.it/history.asp?Pag=25
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